April 14, 2011

Endings. And Beginnings.

It's official! I am sitting here tonight with the keys to my new house in hand. Finally. I only have to sleep in the rental 2 more nights. Although I doubt you could call what I have been doing at night for the past week, sleep.

Things are feeling a bit surreal to me right now. I have a new house. A.NEW.HOUSE! I get to feather my nest again. I've been a homeowner since the tender age of 21. After growing up in rentals my whole life and never feeling a sense of permanence anywhere, owning a home is of extreme importance to me. The Year of Sacrifice, as I have taken to calling it, is coming to an end. Was it worth it? Of course!

We've decided to camp out in the new house on mattresses until the movers come next week. This will give me time to paint before most of our stuff arrives. Did I mention that I purchased 12 gallons of paint in the last week? Let the fun begin! Since our painting crew consists of...well, me, I am hoping that I can physically manage to paint 3 bedrooms before the furniture is delivered! That is my goal. I always was a girl that likes to reach high.

Also, it is just now starting to occur to me that I just downsized from a 3600 sq ft house to a 2100 sq ft house. An old house with not a lot of extra space and me with a storage unit crammed full of stuff. Why didn't that occur to me sooner? TGFG (Thank God for Garages).

On the whole, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, and a bunch excited, joyful and thankful! I know that the next couple of weeks will be full but after that I hope to get back to a normal routine and stop neglecting so many other parts of my life. You know who you are. Okay, well, it's all of you.

I will be without internet, phone and cable for the next week. It's like we will be partial Amish. A long time fantasy of mine. Or partial Little House on the Prairie. Another fantasy. I imagine I will still be able to fit in occasional trips to the coffee shop to check my email (and scarf lemon scones) and to check in with you. In my next post I hope to tell you about my plans for adding charm to the exterior and my makeover plans for the enclosed front porch! Until then I will leave you with some lovely cottage images to inspire your own Cottage Nest dreams.

P.S. You know the only thing better than a white cottage? A grey one. I guarantee my cottage will be one or the other one day.

Love this post and your sense of humor, you crack me up! ;-) SO excited for you and your new cottage! Dying to see a photo of it.Enjoy fluffing your new nest and livin' it up Amish style for a week!~michelle~

I was just think about you. I am so excited for you. A blank canvas...how fun. I guess I'd better get rolling on my bathroom or you are going to win. I just keep choosing other projects ahead of it....maybe I still like the wallpaper. My kids don't but I do. What of it! I do need to paint the trim and I have to pull up the carpet and paint the old planks. Must. get. to. it. And aAmish...cool. It's the new black I say! Blessings friend!

Hi Jen - You are making ME feel excited! I can tell you have really missed having a nest to feather and now you will have your very own! That's awesome!! It's probably good that you won't have cable and internet - you will get so much more done. Can't wait to see your new home!

So excited for you.....when we moved to our 128yr old farm here in Indiana 7yrs ago, it took us over a year to feather our new nest.....so much work! but so much fun! We still are making improvements and changing things inside and out......are we ever really done?Enjoy your new adventure.....can't wait to follow along and see the transformation of making your new nest your nest!

oh Jen!!! I am soooo happy for you! I remember well our year of living in a rental, and all I can say is you are going to be SOOOO happy to feather your nest! I look forward to watching the nest unfold!!

I am very excited for you - would love to know what colors of paint you decided on! You are ambitious to paint yourself - I just can't seem to muster the patience and am always frustrated by my less than perfect results. Choosing paint colors is on my "to do" list this weekend for our new cottage - THE PRESSURE!

When we sold our last house we had to stay with relatives for 7 weeks waiting to move to Red Gate Farm... all our stuff in storage, the holidays, it was a long 7 weeks. When we finally got our keys on December 17 we too camped out after setting up the Christmas tree... even my husband couldn't wait to do that! No phone, no TV, no internet for the first few weeks either :)

Hi Jen...I am so happy for you! I am very excited that you will have lots and lots to share with us as you settle into your very own new nest!! I so wish I lived closer because I love to paint! Have fun!

congratulations Jen...I'm so HAPPY for you!! I too will be MOVING into my VERY FIRST EVER house!! I have lots of paint samples to put up when we get the keys, it was supposed to be yesterday but no deed yet given to lender so we wait...and I'm chomping at the bit, I haven't sleept in days, so I know how you feel. What paint colors did you pick up? I'm thinking of going with Gray Owl..BM.

heavenly!! camping out in the quiet space of your new home ... surrounded only by the new air, greeting you and filling you and saying, "let's be friends!" and then in the morning you'll stretch, you'll wander the rooms to see where the light is, you'll take up a paint brush, touch the walls, and together you will find Home. and we shall all sit here patiently, waiting for those first stories and glimpses!

This is exactly how I pictured the house of your dreams! You look like you are way past the stacked boxes and where the heck do I put this stage like I am. My new place is a spanish style with stucco and tile roof, but will work w/ some french country flair.

Okay, where did you get that green pillow with the embroidered birds? LOVE!!

About Me

I'm a Village living, decorating obsessed, home chef, gardener in training, creative spirit and lover of the simple life. I am Mom to 2 sweet girls and wife to 1 amazing man. I love my family, friends and all things cottage and vintage. I believe in taking risks and following your dreams. Life is short. Enjoy every moment.